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Abstract

A tray that eliminates the need for wrapping or packaging edible food articles that are in a malleable form, such as when made or otherwise produced, with the tray formed with at least a plurality of pairs of article holding compartments each three dimensionally contoured so as to define an edible food article mold that shapes or forms an edible food article received therein that is in a formable or moldable state so as to substantially conform at least a portion of the edible food article to the shape of the three-dimensional contour of the mold of the compartment in which the article is received. A preferred embodiment of the tray has at least a plurality of pairs of elongate article holding compartments that are generally parallel with one another with the article shaping or forming mold defined by each compartment formed of a compartment sidewall that has a concavely curved cross-section that preferably is generally semicircular in a transverse cross-section. In a preferred embodiment, each compartment has a mouth through which an edible food article enters during the filling of the tray with the mouth preferably defined by opposed portions of the generally semicircular compartment sidewall that are generally parallel to one another and which preferably can be obtuse the angled relative to one another to define a guide chute that guides the article into a desired position and/or orientation in the mold of the compartment that optimizes forming or shaping of the article before it cools, dries, cures or otherwise hardens thereby setting or fixing its shape memory so as to substantially conform at least a part of the shape of the article disposed in contact with the sidewall with the mold of the compartment in which the article is received.

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First Claim